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Myths about your eyes

Tuesday, 08 March 2016

When it comes to your eye health, it's important to know the facts. Since you have probably heard a plethora of statements about vision and eye care, it's difficult to know which one is the truth or simply a myth.

Unless you have been told directly by an eye care specialist, most of what you hear about eye health is probably just word of mouth or an old wife’s tale passed down from generation to generation.

So to set the eye health facts straight, here are a few common myths:

Squinting a lot damages your vision

Squinting doesn't cause damage to your vision, but it is a common sign that you may need glasses.

The act of squinting is an attempt to make the pupil smaller, since it lets in less light. By doing so, it can actually help someone who might need glasses to see better.

However, if you or someone you know is squinting a lot in order to enhance vision, it is worth booking an eye test with an optometrist. While squinting itself doesn't damage vision, the contraction of face muscles can lead to headaches.

There's nothing you can do to prevent vision loss

At the first signs of vision problems, such as blurriness, eye pain or flashes of light, you should book to see your doctor immediately. Don't worry though, because this doesn't mean that it is the be all and end all of your eyesight.

If detected early enough, there are a range of treatments that can be given to correct, stop, or slow down the loss of vision.

Sitting too close to the TV screen will damage your eyes

You may have been told by your parents when you were younger that sitting too close to the television screen will damage your eyes, and so have told your own children the very same thing.

While sitting close to the television will not damage your eyesight, it can in fact cause eyestrain, so it is advised not to do so. If you or your child feels the need to sit close to the TV screen in order to see better, it is worth booking an eye test with a physician.

Eating carrots will improve your vision

You will no doubt be familiar with the statement that eating carrots will improve your vision or help you to see in the dark. This is typically told to very young children in a bid to encourage them to eat their vegetables. But is it true?

While carrots are a good source of vitamin A, which helps to promote eye health and protect the eye's retina, eating this vegetable won't actually make your vision improve.

Wearing contact lenses for a long period of time will cause your vision to deteriorate

It is sometimes said that the longer you wear coloured contact lenses, the more your vision will continue to deteriorate. However, wearing the correct lenses will not make your vision worse.

Over time, the natural ageing of your eyes will cause them to become weaker, which many people incorrectly put down to the contact lenses themselves. At Feel Good Contact Lenses, we stock a range of disposable lens products, including our 1 Day Acuvue Moist and Focus Dailies contact lenses.